Global citizens fostered through summer exchange programs
CISV now accepting applications for three delegations to Norway, Sweden and Germany
When Jack White was 11 years old, he had the opportunity to spend four weeks with a group of other kids his age from all around the world by participating in an international exchange program offered through the Chattanooga affiliate of Children's International Summer Villages (CISV).
White and others from 11 different countries lived together on the campus of a private school in Vancouver, Canada.
The experience, coupled with an additional CISV trip to Italy last summer, not only established friendships White maintains to this day but also changed the way the young man, now 13, views the world and interacts with others.
—We appreciate the similarities between people and value their differences.
—We support social justice and equality of opportunity for all.
—We encourage the resolution of conflict through peaceful means.
—We support the creation of sustainable solutions to problems relating to our impact upon each other and the natural environment.
"It has given me a plan now. I want to be an ambassador. It combines my love of government, politics and promoting peace through understanding," White said.
Building cross-cultural understanding in children by fostering global friendships is part of CISV's goals. The local chapter is now accepting applications for Chattanooga-area children between the ages of 11 and 15 to participate in three summer programs that involve extended stays in Norway, Germany and Sweden.
A variety of educational activities disguised as play are scheduled for all participants throughout each stay. Games that help the children get closer or teach them about the problem of world hunger are just two examples. For White, the underlying messages came in loud and clear.
"All the activities were fun. But at the end you had to debrief, and then you realized that the activities had meaning. They seemed just like games you play at camp, but there were life lessons to learn," White said.
Applications accepted through Feb. 1
The CISV Villages, Interchange and Summer Camp programs are each looking for a limited number of area youth to be a part of the 2012 delegations. Applications for all three summer offerings are due Feb. 1. Approximately 25 Chattanooga youth and adults will be participating in CISV's summer programs globally, according to CISV's Janet Byrne.
The Villages Program is targeted for 11-year-old boys and girls. Two boys and two girls will be selected from Chattanooga to join a delegation of others from 12 countries, and they will live together for four weeks while learning about each other's cultures and homelands.
The Interchange Program is similar to an exchange program where delegates stay in the home of a host family to be immersed in that culture. Twelve- and 13-year-olds can apply for this program, and up to six participants will be accepted. The Chattanooga delegation will travel to Berlin in July for two weeks and return to host the German delegation in Chattanooga for two weeks.
The Summer Camp Program is for 15-year-olds and similar to the Villages Program, only offering more leadership opportunities during the experience. The delegation will travel to Stockholm for two weeks in July.
Participants are asked to pay a $1,200 fee that covers all of their food, accommodations and excursions. Families are also responsible for airfare.
The Chattanooga chapter of CISV was established in 1977 and is not affiliated with any religious or political organizations. CISV International was established in 1951 and now operates in more than 60 countries. In 61 years, more than 190,000 youth and adults have participated in more than 5,000 international activities through the organization.